Jessica: Dealing With Homesickness

Yes, yes, the H-word. Every high school student trying to decide if they want to stay nearby for college, go across the country (or to another country!), or somewhere in between has to ask themselves the question, "Will I be homesick?" Believe it or not, homesickness is a good thing; it means you have something that you left beihind worth missing, but that doesn't make it easy. I had two choices--a 20 minute commute where I saw my family every day, or 6 hour drive, where I would have to go as long as 3 months without seeing them. So here I am, far away from home, to give you some tips on how I've survived the first month here at USD.

Skype! Skype is a free way of communicating with friends and family anywhere in the world. It's amazing how much this helps; whenever I'm having a crazy day, I skype with my best friend who knows just how to calm me down put everything back in perspective. I always feel better after a face-to-face.

The small things: It's amazing how much little things can remind you of home and make you feel warm and fuzzy inside. Things like photos of the people you love from home or sentimental objects, like the blanket my Aunt made for me. Personally (and this is going to sound crazy!), a huge comfort has been the foggy mornings here in San Diego. The Central Valley is hit by thick fog every winter, and looking out my door to see the white, misty view makes me feel much closer to home.

Connecting with people from your region: I've met a few people from Central California, and just talking to them about the weather, our high schools, memories of people and places can be quite the comfort. Connecting with people can be intimidating, but doing things like volunteer work and joining clubs is a huge help in making those lifelong connections.

Being honest: I know it's hard trusting people you have just met, but sit down with people around you and tell them how you are feeling. Share with them that you miss your mom's amazing chicken, how your dog crawls into your lap when you watch TV, or your dad's laugh. Everyone around you is in the same boat. Talking to people on campus like counselors and RAs is a huge help too. And be honest with yourself. After I sent in my deposit, I keep telling myself that I wouldn't be homesick once I moved into the dorms, hoping that saying that would make it a reality. But it just made it worse.

I'm going to leave you guys with a quote that has helped me push through my difficult days here. "If you get a chance, take it. If it changes your life, let it. No one said it would be easy, they just promised it would be worth it." - Anon.

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